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It seems that YouTube wants to invest fully in the AI-generated music segment. The company wants to do it fairly, reaching licensing agreements with record labels. This could greatly benefit the YouTube Music service too. However, multiple artists do not agree with the use of AI in music.
AI-based tools took the tech industry by storm, offering capabilities that were unimaginable until relatively recently. They can generate music, images, and even videos. However, this sparked a debate about possible copyright infringements. After all, it is sometimes difficult to determine whether the multimedia used to train AI models is licensed. This has led to situations such as lawsuits against services like AI Udio and Suno.
YouTube allegedly seeking license deals with major labels for AI-Generated music
Due to the sudden impact of AI on the segment, there is still no complete clarity on fair agreements between artists, record labels, and developers of AI-powered tools. However, platforms like YouTube do not want to be left behind in the emerging AI-generated music segment. According to a recent report, the company would be in talks with Universal, Sony, and Warner. The goal would be agreements to use music from artists on those labels to train AI models.
The company would look for agreements based on a single payment that allow them to use the artists’ musical catalog. That said, artists may not be entirely on board if there is not fair compensation for them as well. However, being able to grant musical rights to third parties will depend on how much control the record labels have over the media content.
Multiple artists still reluctant to use AI in the music industry
In April, more than 200 artists signed an open letter against AI in the music industry. More specifically, they criticized the use of their work to train AI models without authorization. As of today, there is still no firm legislation for this type of situation. Meanwhile, artists, record labels, and third parties will have to seek favorable agreements through negotiation.
YouTube has tried to ensure that the use of generative AI on its platform does not mean that artists lose control over their work. The company requires that AI-generated content (be it music or videos) be labeled as such. Additionally, they allow artists to request the removal of media based on their works if they wish. It will be interesting to see if the negotiations result in agreements that leave all parties happy. After all, generative AI is here to stay, and the industry must adapt to it.